Synaesthesia and Cross Sensory Practice
in Art
-
1st synaesthesia art
exhibition and forum in China, cross regional synaesthesia survey
The inauguration ceremony of “2016
Beijing International Synesthesia Art Exhibition” and “1st Synaesthesia Art
Exhibition Forum in China: Cross Regional Synaesthesia Survey” was held at
Beijing No.1 Art Space Gallery in Beijing Jianguo Garden Hotel on 9th
Oct, 2016 with attendance of art amateurs, teachers and students from art
colleges and art circles around Beijing.
The exhibition displayed paintings
inspired in Chinese classical and foreign music alongside art works reflecting
the sensory experience of foreign artists with synaesthesia as well as award
winning video art from the international competition MuVi4, music iconography
reflecting Chinese ancient art and musical synaesthesia, as well as exhibition
panels related to achievements in international synaesthesia research. Notably,
photographs demonstrating the phenomenon of synaesthesia in regional Chinese culture
aroused much interests; this was linked with the upcoming cross regional programmed
synaesthesia survey. The art works were rich and detailed: many in attendance
commented that it was “…not just colorful and beautiful pictures or paintings
but a kind of new interactive experience between the art works and viewers”.
He Jianwei, the Chinese curator of the
exhibition said: “The exhibition jointly sponsored by the Chinese National
Academy of Arts Lithography School No.1 Art Space Gallery, Artecitta International
Foundation and Chinese Synaesthesia Alliance carried the greatest academic
value in recent years held in mainland China in respect to synaesthesia. It
also has received the supports not only from the International Artecitta
Foundation, but also from the UK Synaesthesia Association, the International Association
of Synaesthetes, Artist and Scientist and US Beacon Artist Association. These
artists include the Spanish artist and professor Maria Jose De Cordoba, UK
artist Timothy B Layden, Italian professor in art and design Dina Riccò, American
artist Carol Steen, UK artist James Wannerton, German artists Christine
Soffing, Michael Havercamp, Spanish artist Pepa Salas Vilar, New Zealand artist
Raewyn Turner and Brian Harris. Meanwhile, we also received excellent support
from experts and scholars of China’s Society of Music Iconology and well-known
artists in China including He Wenqing, Ninghui Xiong, Mu Xi, Zhou Wufa, Yang
Qing, Yuan Wenbin, musician Zhang Xiang, musician vice professor Zhong Li, poet
Fang Qinggang and so on. I am also deeply impressed by the unique excellent
courseware display created by Chinese artists, the synaesthesia between
portrait painting from He Wenqing and the Yellow River Concerto and Synaesthesia
Music Fishbone Diagram by Ninghui Xiong.”
In the afternoon of October 9th, 2016 at
Beijing Jianguo Garden Hotel No.1 Art Space, with the chime music, the project
host Maria Jose De Cordoba (Spain) and Ninghui Xiong (China) jointly unveiled
for the 2016 Beijing international art exhibition and synesthesia “1st
synaesthesia Art Exhibition Forum in China: cross regional synaesthesia
survey”.
Posters, panels and artworks in the 2016 Beijing International
Synaesthesia Art Exhibition
There is a long history of artistic
synaesthesia in China, which has been a well known story for more than two
thousand years, that Zhong Ziqi could understand the music played by Yu Boya,
but it lacks systematic and scientific research. Some Chinese scholars and
artists realized this and began to investigate. They have held a series of
public educational programs called “Painting Music from Your Heart” in Beijing
and Shanghai, with the cooperation of theatres, museums and colleges since
2009, and they also went to the schools for the children of migrant workers to
teach students how to draw music. They were invited to participate V
International Synaesthesia Congress on Synaesthesia, Science and Art in Spain
in 2015 and exchanged for the first time with international synaesthesia
academic circles the synaesthesia phenomenon in Chinese ancient art and modern
art synaesthesia exploration, which got the attention of international scholars
and experts. They took the opportunity to set up a project: “1st Synaesthesia
Art Exhibition and Forum: Cross Regional Synaesthesia Survey” which has
received positive responses from both domestic art colleges and institutes,
including the Chinese Society of Music and Image, Qianjiang College of Hangzhou
Normal University, Art and Design College of China University of Mining and
Technology, Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Beijing Yangmei-Yihua Culture
Development Company, Guang Zhou Red Dragonfly Artworks Culture, etc.
During
the inauguration ceremony of the project, the President of China’s Society of
Music and Iconology Professor LI Yongyou, Vice Dean of Art and Media of Qian
Jian College Hangzhou Normal University Professor ZHU Dan, Dean of Fine Arts
University of Granada Mr. Francisco Jose Sanchez Montalban , Fellow and
Emeritus Director of the John B. Pierce Laboratory affiliated Yale University
Professor Lawrence E. Marks, President of UK Synaesthesia Association and Vice
President of International Association of Synaesthetes Artists and Scientists
Mr. James Wannerton, General Secretary of US Beacon Artist Association Mr. Ding
Donghui, also sent congratulation letters to the project team.
Dr. Maria Jose De Córdoba Serrano, Exhibition
Academic Chair, Director
of the International Foundation Artecittà, Professor of Fine Arts, Granada University
said, “I do appreciate the invitation hosted by Mr. Jianwei HE at his Art
Gallery with Ninghui and his friends for the great effort for the exhibition. I
am very happy and excited to be able to be here for this new project in China, I
do hope to learn more here through the project because its culture and art is
imbued with an exquisite sensibility, in every sense.”
Professor Li Rongyou, President of
China’s Society Music Iconology said in his congratulation letter to the
project team: “ Introducing the outcome of international synaesthesia congress
into China, promoting synaesthesia in science dissemination, at the same time
developing the China cross regional synaesthesia survey, comparing and analyzing
the difference between China and the West in synesthesia, opening the dialogue
between the east and west regarding art and synaesthesia, all of these are very
important with much academic value and benefit. More than ten years ago, Mr.
Ninghui Xiong was involved in the practice of synaesthesia in art, exploring
the meaning of Chinese synaesthesia between music and painting. This is fully
consistence with our objective, which is to follow the tradition -- Music is
leading total art integration. He also worked closely with other members in our
society, organized a series of activities with interdisciplinary synaesthesia
painting workshops, attended the International Synaesthesia Congress with
Professor Ding Tongjun for culture and art communication, and organized
academic circles internationally. Meanwhile, his study also gained the
attention of other members of our society including Researcher Zhang Xiang,
Professor Liu Yong, Li Aizhen, Wang Lei, Dr. Zhu Xiaofeng, Zhong Li and Fang
Qinggang. Under our joint efforts, the First Synaesthesia Art Forum will be
held successfully, which will mark a new stage in the study of Chinese Synaesthesia
research in art.
UK artist Dr.
Timothy B Layden, invited principal curator, said: “I am fascinated by how
human beings use resources to create new things which have the ability to alter
the way they, as well as others who may or may not be artists themselves, see
the world. So what is it that artists do? We manipulate resources that we learn
to use to change the environment in ways that alter how it is interacted with
and what we think about it. Artistic expression has the ability to unearth the
rawest, truest aspects of what it is to be a living sentient, self aware being;
perhaps more so than any other discipline, for it is labored upon from the
subjective point of view of individuals who have invested substantial time and
effort into developing particular skills that they use despite any sense of
shame or imperfection to share the most vulnerable aspects of their experience.
Many synaesthetes choose to use their synaesthetic experience as the focus of
much of their artwork. This is of particular interest to me as a synaesthete; I
like to see how others represent their experiences and reflect upon my own as
well as the diversity that exists within the immense spectrum of human
experience.”
Ding
Tongjun, professor of Qianjiang College of Hangzhou Normal University said,
“These exercises are in line with what we have explored and practiced in recent
years in China, including “synaesthesia fishbone diagram analysis” and “Da
Vinci device – music painting composition synaesthesia methodology”. If we
combine them together, it will help us to cultivate the ability of
synaesthesia, which is helpful to the cultivation of creative thinking through
training. If we consciously apply the method of synaesthesia and open our
senses, we can breakdown our mindset and find work needed for improvement.
Therefore, synaesthesia consciousness is the key. This is also the purpose of
our cooperation with international educational institutions to explore this
cross interdisciplinary research”.
As a
summary, the project leader Ninghui Xiong said, “it’s the first time in China
for synaesthesia dissemination through Art Exhibition/Forum/Survey so wide and
deep. However, we have just begun, there is still a long way to go. I would
like to thank my colleagues and friends in China and abroad for their
consistent effort and great support, including those experts to be mentioned:
Lawrence Marks, Sean Day, Sidoroff-Dorso, Danko Nokolic , Jörg Jewanski、James Wannerton, Carol
Steen , Patricia Lynn Duffy, Jose Lopez Montes, Svetlana Rudenko and Alexandra
Kirschner etc.. I knew them through V International Synaesthesia Congress
Science and Art hosted by the Artecitta Foundation which is an international
organization leading synaesthesia interdisciplinary study and dissemination in
education. By working together, I am sure we will have success.”
* * *
Following the
event in Beijing, the project team carried out a variety of activities in
Xuzhou and Hangzhou, including art exhibitions and workshops within the university
academy exchange program frame contract related to synaesthesia study. The next
step will continue in Guangzhou and other cities. The lectures of “Synaesthesia
and Creativity” made by Dr. Maria Jose
De Córdoba Serrano and “Art synaesthesia in China” made by Ninghui
Xiong, as well as exhibition panels related to international synaesthesia
research achievements contributed by international synaesthesia study expects gained
great attention from teachers. “ The International Conference of Synaesthesia”,
“synaesthesia research project by Maria Jose de Cordoba”, “Scientist Lawrence
Marks/Danko Nikolic talking about Synaesthesia”, “Musician Jose Lopez Montes/
Rudenko Svetlana /Alexandra Kirschner talking about Synaesthesia”, “Exploring
the shape of sound by Timothy B Layden”, “Visual Music and Synaesthesia MuVi4 International
Competition by Dina Riccò”, “Influence to the art creation by synaesthesia
experience by Carol Steen ”, “Art synaesthesia from taste by James Wannerton”,
“Synaesthesia Perception Support the Product Design by Michael Havercamp” and
so on, the content was novel, unique and innovative according to their
feedback.
In the last
session, “Synaesthesia and Cross Sensory Practice in Art Workshop” held in
Hangzhou Normal University in the afternoon of October 19th,
Professor Maria Jose De Cordoba guided students to participate in the cross
sensory practice of converting sound to painting, and image to music. The
activity was very interesting. The students who major in musical performance,
art and design were fully involved; they expressed themselves with their hands,
painting, with musical instruments and dance. The atmosphere was lively.
Maria Jose De Córdoba Serrano said,
“people possess synaesthetic features at an early age, as they grow up, the
function of the brain controlling the senses gradually separates. Many people
lose the ability of synesthesia, but through certain practices, such abilities
can be restored to a certain extent.”
Ding
Tongjun, professor of Qianjiang College of Hangzhou Normal University said,
“These exercises are in line with what we have explored and practiced in recent
years in China, including “synaesthesia fishbone diagram analysis” and “Da
Vinci device – music painting composition synaesthesia methodology”. If we
combine them together, it will help us to cultivate the ability of
synaesthesia, which is helpful to the cultivation of creative thinking through
training. If we consciously apply the method of synaesthesia and open our
senses, we can breakdown our mindset and find work needed for improvement.
Therefore, synaesthesia consciousness is the key. This is also the purpose of
our cooperation with international educational institutions to explore this
cross interdisciplinary research”.
As a
summary, the project leader Ninghui Xiong said, “it’s the first time in China
for synaesthesia dissemination through Art Exhibition/Forum/Survey so wide and
deep. However, we have just begun, there is still a long way to go. I would
like to thank my colleagues and friends in China and abroad for their
consistent effort and great support, including those experts to be mentioned:
Lawrence Marks, Sean Day, Sidoroff-Dorso, Danko Nokolic , Jörg Jewanski、James Wannerton, Carol
Steen , Patricia Lynn Duffy, Jose Lopez Montes, Svetlana Rudenko and Alexandra
Kirschner etc.. I knew them through V International Synaesthesia Congress
Science and Art hosted by the Artecitta Foundation which is an international
organization leading synaesthesia interdisciplinary study and dissemination in
education. By working together, I am sure we will have success.”
